Flush tank riser assembly



Jan. 14 1958 LEWNE FLUSH TANK RISER ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 26, 1955 Fig lINVEN TOR. Berna/d MLeV/he I is 4 United States Patent '0 FLUSH TANKRISER ASSEMBLY Bernard M. Levine, Chicago, Ill. Application October 25,1955, Serial'No.'542,830

1 Claim. 01. 137444 This-invention relates to the constructionofgflush'tank apparatus for 'toilets.

Jn the usual type of flush tank, awater-inlet riser pipe assemblyextends upwardly through an opening in the bottom wall of the flush tankand terminates at its upper end in a float valve which automaticallymaintains a proper amount of water in the flush tank. Heretofore, theriser pipe assembly included a fitting located within the flush tank andto which the bottom of the aforementioned pipe'section is secured. Thefitting served as a seating flange for the riser pipe assembly and wascompressed against a gasket ring placed around the pipereceiving openingin the flush tank to provide a watertight seal. The fitting extendedthrough the flush tank opening.

One objectionable feature in this construction was the difliculty inmaintaining a water-tight connection between the riser pipe section andthe fitting to make sure that no flush tank water could seep between theriser pipe section and the fitting or seep through the fitting andthence into the feed pipe where it would contaminate the main watersupply.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a flush tankriser assembly which includes the aforementioned riser pipe section, aseating flange and threaded portions therebelow, all made as onecontinuous, permanent, irnperforate structure of metal that has beenworked and is devoid of cracks and will not develop leaks.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flush tankriser pipe which is economical of construction and which in use requiresno more, and perhaps less, work for its installation than is requiredwith conventional riser assemblies.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention willbecome apparent upon making reference to the specification to follow andthe drawings showing an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, in partial section, of a toilet installationincluding the riser pipe assembly of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the riser pipe assembly of Fig.2;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged, partial section of the lower portionof the riser pipe assembly shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged view of the'flanged portion of theriser pipe.

Refer now to the drawings where like reference numerals indicate likeelements throughout.

The invention is used in association with a porcelain flush tank 1 ofthe usual construction which is filled with water to be used in flushinga toilet bowl 2. A flush tank riser assembly 3 is shown extendingthrough an opening 5 in the flush tank bottom. The flush tank riserassembly includes a riser pipe 7 which forms a water inlet conduit intothe flush tank. The riser pipe terminates in a float valve assembly 9which may be of con- "ice body. The-distal end of the lever carries theusual ,float 138.11 .13 (Fig. 1) which positions the lever to its valveopening position when the water in the flush tank'is below apredetermined level and closesthe valve when the waterreachesthis'level.

In accordance with the invention, the riser pipe is ,formedfrorn aunitarypieceofgbrass tubing of aniriitia'l external diameter indicatedat '15. The tubing :isthen subjected to swaging and drawing operations,and remains a one piece unit after the forming operations which form ,aperiphertilseatingflange17, ataperedportion 18 above the seating flange,and a reduced cylindrical p0rtion19 merging with the tapered portion 18.The base 15 of the pipe is externally threaded as at 20.

In forming the seating flange 17, longitudinally directed forces areapplied to a pipe blank of the diameter and thickness of the pipe base15 in what is known as a bulging process to bulge the pipe against asuitably shaped die to form an accordion type fold or crease 22 in thewall of the pipe blank, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4, which extendsaround the entire periphery of the pipe. The reduced and taperedportions above the seating flange 17 are formed by drawing the pipethrough a suitable tapering die. This reduces the thickness of the pipeabove the flange 17. In one example, the riser pipe base 15 was .915inch in outside diameter and the wall was .065 inch thick while thereduced drawn portion 19 was .435 inch in outside diameter and .052 inchthick. The tapered portion 18 was of varying wall thickness between .065inch and .052 inch.

For reasons to be explained, the bottom of the pipe is turned in toprovide an internal annular flange 23 which presents a smooth gasketseat at the pipe bottom of substantially greater width than thecontiguous threaded wall of the pipe.

A seal is formed around the flush tank opening 5 by means of a taperedgasket ring 24 surrounding the pipe beneath the seating flange 17. Theflange is drawn against the gasket ring to compress the same against theflush tank bottom by a nut 25 threading tightly about the pipe thread 20against a lock washer beneath the flush tank bottom.

Since the riser pipe unit including the base 15, flange 17 and the restof the riser pipe are formed as one continuous piece by swaging anddrawing operations performed on a pipe blank, leaks will not developWithin the riser pipe unit as in previously constructed riser pipeassemblies. Also, the one-piece construction of the riser pipe body, theseating flange and the threaded portion 15 reduces the cost ofmanufacture of the riser pipe assembly and facilitates storage, handlingand installation of the riser pipe assembly.

A feeder pipe 29 of a size to fit loosely through the opening 30 definedby the annular internal flange 23 of the pipe bottom is secured to thelatter by means of an internally shouldered nut 32 threading around thebase 15 of the riser pipe 3 and compressing a gasket 34 between theinternal shoulder 35 thereof and the gasket seat provided by theinternal pipe flange 23. The gasket 34, when uncompressed, has a taperedthickness so that its upper end fits between the feeder pipe 29 and theinternal flange 23 of the riser pipe. When the nut 32 is tightened aboutthe riser pipe bottom, the narrower upper portion of the gasket ring 34is forced tightly into sealing relation between the feeder pipe and theriser pipe. The

contaminate or endanger the purity of the water supply system.

It can be appreciated that the flush tank riser pipe assembly abovedescribed provides a leak-proof, inexpensive and easy to installassembly.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a one piece vertically extending toilet flush tankwater-inlet riser pipe comprising a drawn metal body having an externalmounting flange adjacent to the bottom end of the pipe and constitutedby an outwardly creased imperforate accordion fold formed in the pipewall around the entire periphery thereof, which fold is an integral partof the pipe above and below the flange, said pipe being externallythreaded below the flange for mounting of the same and said pipe havinga frusto conical portion above and adjacent to said flange which portiontapers upwardly to a reduced diameter and a reduced wall thickness andterminates in and merges with an upwardly extending cylindrical portionof a diameter and wall thickness less than that of said pipe below saidflange, all of said aforementioned parts of the pipe being formed as onecontinuous, imperforate, homogeneous swaged and drawn metal structure,and a float controlled water valve supported by and mounted on top ofsaid cylindrical portion with the cylindrical portion terminating at andopening into the inlet side of the float controlled valve so that thevalve controls the flow of water through the pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS909,328 Perkins Jan. 12, 1909 947,234 Herschler Jan. 25, 1910 948,748Van Deusen Feb. 8, 1910 969,874 Jennings Sept. 13, 1910 1,271,459Greeson July 2; 1918 2,020,463 Fillman Nov. 12, 1935 1 2,630,831 ArnoldMat. 10, 1953

